χήρα

Mark 12:40 χηρῶν widows

They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Here: A woman whose husband had died. In that society she often had no male protector or advocate and no secure income. In Israel's Scriptures she is the standard example of the person God personally defends. The next scene (vv. 41–44) puts one in front of the reader.

Mark 12:42 χήρα widow

Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.

Mark 12:43 χήρα widow

Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.

Here: A woman whose husband has died. In that world this usually meant she had no male protector or legal advocate, and often no inheritance. She belongs to the group the Torah names as God's special concern.

Luke 2:37 χήρα [was] a widow

and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

Here: A woman whose husband has died. In that world the word also suggested someone without a man's legal and economic protection. Anna never remarried, which counted as a mark of devoted loyalty.

Luke 4:25 χῆραι widows

But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.

Here: Women with no husband to provide for them, the classic example of vulnerability in Israel, and the people a famine would hit first.

Luke 4:26 χήραν. a widow.

Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to the widow of Zarephath in Sidon.

Luke 7:12 χήρα· a widow;

As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.

Here: A woman whose husband had died. With her only son now dead too, she had no male relative to provide for her, protect her or speak for her in public.

Luke 18:3 χήρα A widow

And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

Luke 18:5 χήραν widow

yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Otherwise, she will wear me out with her perpetual requests.’”

Luke 20:47 χηρῶν of widows

They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Here: A woman whose husband had died. In that world she usually had no male protector and often no direct inheritance, so she was a standard example of the vulnerable person God defends.

Luke 21:2 χήραν widow

and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

Luke 21:3 χήρα widow

“Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

Acts 6:1 χῆραι widows

In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Here: Women whose husbands had died and who had no male provider. The Torah singles them out for protection. They were among the most exposed members of the community.

Acts 9:39 χῆραι widows

So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Here: Women left without a husband and usually without a male provider. In that world this was a vulnerable class, and Israel's law and the early church gave them special care.

Acts 9:41 χήρας widows

Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

1 Corinthians 7:8 χήραις, widows,

Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

1 Timothy 5:3 χήρας χήρας. Widows, widows.

Honor the widows who are truly widows.

Here: Comes first for emphasis. A woman whose husband has died. In that world that usually also meant a woman who had lost her main source of protection and income. The word frames the sentence: it opens it and closes it.

1 Timothy 5:4 χήρα widow

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

Here: A woman whose husband had died. In that world this usually meant losing her main economic support and legal protector, and the word itself carries the idea of being left bereft.

1 Timothy 5:5 χήρα a widow

The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.

Here: A woman bereft of her husband. In this world that usually also meant being cut off from her main source of income, legal protection and standing.

1 Timothy 5:9 χήρα A widow

A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, faithful to her husband,

1 Timothy 5:11 χήρας widows

But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,

1 Timothy 5:16 χήρας, χήραις [dependent] widows,, widows

If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

Here: Women whose husbands have died, here those connected to the believing woman: a widowed mother, grandmother, aunt, or widows in her household. Plural: she may be supporting more than one.

James 1:27 χήρας widows

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Here: A woman whose husband had died. She often had no inheritance and no secure income, and she was easy to exploit. In Israel's scriptures she is the standard example of someone who is vulnerable.

Revelation 18:7 χήρα a widow

As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’

Here: Placed first for emphasis: 'a widow, I am not!' In the ancient world a widow had lost her protector and provider. A city called a widow had been conquered and stripped.